ABSTRACT
The lean construction process is a derivative of the lean manufacturing process. Lean construction has identified poor design information, which results in a large amount of redesign work. The key to its success was improvement of the design and procurement processes in order to facilitate construction on-site. The use of lean production techniques must be placed within the context of the construction industry. Lean manufacturers, regardless of the industry, have developed systems for product development which first identify the right product to be made, in terms of customer needs and expectations. The adoption of lean manufacturing in engineering has had the effect of moving away from traditional relationships with suppliers towards partnering arrangements with a fewer number of firms based upon good communications and open-book accounting. One of the firms is based in Colorado and the other in San Francisco.
